The document summarizes four case studies of selecting metadata fields for digital collections at St. Olaf College. For each collection - the Manitou Messenger newspaper, Viking Yearbook, archival photographs, and art museum works - the project team considered user needs, evaluated existing metadata standards, and chose a role model to develop an appropriate data dictionary. Key findings were that user needs should be the top priority and that metadata supports collection maintenance and control. Descriptive metadata was determined after other decisions.

8. Case Study #1: Manitou Messenger Metadata Choices CDM_LVL CDM_LVL_NAME Title Full Text Full Resolution Local Identifier File name Collection Name Volume Issue Month Year Decade Page Value Frequency Original Pub. Date Date Uploaded Title Rights Format Type Creator Source Publisher Relation Coverage Language CONTENTdm St. Olaf Dublin Core

9. Case Study #1: Manitou Messenger Data Dictionary

14. Case Study #2: The Viking Yearbook Metadata Choices CDM_LVL CDM_LVL_NAME Title Full Text Full Resolution Local Identifier File name Collection Name Yearbook Date Decade Page Number Date Uploaded Title Rights Format Type Creator Source Publisher Relation Coverage Language CONTENTdm St. Olaf Viking Dublin Core

17. Case Study #3: Archives finds a role model: Claremont College

18. Case Study #3: Archives sample record

19. Title Local Identifier File name Title Subject Content Description Owner Original Resource Creator Creator Name Rights Resource Type Format Identifier Collection Name Medium Title Subject - LCSH College Students Portrait Photography Costume Architecture, Domestic Description Notes Publisher Date Language Source Accession Number Relation Rights Type Format Object File Name CONTENTdm Archives Claremont

23. Case Study #4: Art Museum – Luther sample record

25. Case Study #4: Art Museum – sample record